Method and Apparatus for Interrupt Power Management

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising: detecting a media application operative to execute on a plurality of processor cores of a multi-core processor, the media application comprising an application including a plurality of periodic interrupts, the plurality of periodic interrupts comprising media interrupts utilized by the media application to synchronize corresponding audio and video data streams of a media file; selecting a subset of one or more processor cores of the multi-core processor on a dynamic basis, the selecting comprising: affinitizing the media application to execute on each of the plurality of processor cores, the affinitizing comprising providing the plurality of periodic interrupts to each of the plurality of processor cores; measuring a performance or power state residency for the multi-core processor; comparing the performance or power state residency to a threshold; de-affinitizing the media application to execute on at least one less processor core, the de-affinitizing comprising providing the plurality of periodic interrupts to at least one less processor core, thereby reducing the power consumption of the multi-core processor if the performance or power state residency does not exceed the threshold; and repeating the selecting steps until the performance or power state residency does not exceed the threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 , the subset of one or more processor cores comprising less than a total number of processor cores of the multi-core processor.

3. The method of claim 1 , selecting a subset of one or more processor cores on a dynamic basis comprising: re-measuring the performance or power state residency for the multi-core processor; comparing the re-measured performance or power state residency to the threshold; and de-affinitizing the media application to execute on at least one less processor core of the multi-core processor if the performance or power state residency does not exceed the threshold, the de-affinitizinq comprising providing the plurality of periodic interrupts to at least one less processor core.

4. The method of claim 3 , comprising: detecting one or more applications operative to execute on one or more of the plurality of processor cores in addition to the media application; and decreasing a time interval between measurements of the performance or power state residency for the multi-core processor.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising: re-affinitizing the media application to execute on at least one additional processor core of the multi-core processor if the performance or power state residency exceeds the threshold.

6. The method of claim 1 , the media application operative to playback the media file having corresponding audio and video data streams.

7. The method of claim 6 , the media application operative to periodically generate the media interrupts to synchronize the audio and video data streams.

8. The method of claim 7 , comprising: sending the media interrupts to one or more processor cores of the multi-core processor on which the media application is affinitized to execute.

9. The method of claim 1 , a minimum number of processor cores of the multi-core processor for executing the media application comprising one processor core.

10. An apparatus, comprising: a multi-core processor comprising a plurality of processor cores; an affinitization management module operative to execute on the processor to detect a media application comprising an application including a plurality of periodic interrupts, the plurality of periodic interrupts comprising media interrupts utilized by the media application to synchronize corresponding audio and video data streams of a media file, dynamically selecting a subset of one or more processor cores of the multi-core processor, affinitize the media application to execute on each of the plurality of processor cores, the affinitizing comprising providing the plurality of periodic interrupts to each of the plurality of processor cores, measure a performance or power state residency for the multi-core processor, compare the performance or power state residency to a threshold, de-affinitize the media application to execute on at least one less processor core, the de-affinitizing comprising providing the plurality of periodic interrupts to at least one less processor core, thereby reducing the power consumption of the multi-core processor if the performance or power state residency does not exceed the threshold, and repeat the selecting steps until the performance or power state residency does not exceed the threshold.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , the subset of one or more processor cores comprising less than a total number of processor cores of the multi-core processor.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , the affinitization management module operative to re-measure the performance or power state residency for the multi-core processor, compare the re-measured power state residency to the threshold, and de-affinitize the media application to execute on at least one less processor core of the multi-core processor if the power state residency does not exceed the threshold, the de-affinitizinq comprising providing the plurality of periodic interrupts to at least one less processor core.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , the affinitization management module operative to detect one or more applications operative to execute on one or more of the plurality of processor cores in addition to the media application, and decrease a time interval between measurements of the performance or power state residency for the multi-core processor.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , the affinitization management module operative to re-affinitize the media application to execute on at least one additional processor core of the multi-core processor if the power state residency exceeds the threshold.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 , the media application operative to playback the media file having the corresponding audio and video data streams.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , the media application operative to periodically generate the media interrupts to synchronize the audio and video data streams.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , the affinitization management module operative to direct the media interrupts to one or more processor cores of the multi-core processor on which the media application is affinitized to execute.

18. The apparatus of claim 10 , a minimum number of processor cores of the multi-core processor for executing the media application comprising one processor core.

19. An article comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that if executed by a processor cause a system to: detect a media application operative to execute on a plurality of processor cores of a multi-core processor, the media application comprising an application including a plurality of periodic interrupts, the plurality of periodic interrupts comprising media interrupts utilized by the media application to synchronize corresponding audio and video data streams of a media file; selecting a subset of one or more processor cores of the multi-core processor on a dynamic basis, the selecting comprising: affinitize the media application to execute on each of the plurality of processor cores, the affinitizing comprising providing the plurality of periodic interrupts to each of the plurality of processor cores; measure a performance or power state residency for the multi-core processor; compare the performance or power state residency to a threshold; de-affinitize the media application to execute on at least one less processor core, the de-affinitizing comprising providing the plurality of periodic interrupts to at least one less processor core, thereby reducing the power consumption of the multi-core processor if the performance or power state residency does not exceed the threshold; and repeat the selecting steps until the performance or power state residency does not exceed the threshold.

20. The article of claim 19 , wherein the subset of one or more processor cores comprises less than a total number of processor cores of the multi-core processor.

21. The article of claim 19 , comprising instructions that if executed cause the system to: re-measure the performance or power state residency for the multi-core processor; compare the re-measured performance or power state residency to the threshold; and de-affinitize the media application to execute on at least one less processor core of the multi-core processor if the performance or power state residency does not exceed the threshold, the de-affinitizinq comprising providing the plurality of periodic interrupts to at least one less processor core.

22. The article of claim 21 , comprising instructions that if executed cause the system to: detect one or more applications operative to execute on one or more of the plurality of processor cores in addition to the media application; and decrease a time interval between measurements of the performance or power state residency for the multi-core processor.

23. The article of claim 19 , comprising instructions that if executed cause the system to re-affinitize the media application to execute on at least one additional processor core of the multi-core processor if the performance or power state residency exceeds the threshold.

24. The article of claim 19 , comprising instructions that if executed cause the system to playback a media file having corresponding audio and video data streams.

25. The article of claim 19 , comprising instructions that if executed cause the system to periodically generate media interrupts to synchronize the audio and video data streams.

26. The article of claim 25 , comprising instructions that if executed cause the system to send the media interrupts to one or more processor cores of the multi-core processor on which the media application is affinitized to execute.

27. The article of claim 19 , a minimum number of processor cores of the multi-core processor for executing the media application comprising one processor core.